Is a Natal / 3D system the future of videogames?

[theRepublic]

Interesting thread.

The question I would ask in return is what type of time frame are you talking about?

It seems some posters are talking about the relatively short term (5-10 years) and others are talking about the very long term (50-100 years or longer).

From what I have seen of Natal and 3D gaming right now, operating virtual controls in front of you would not work well. However, I have heard that some researchers are working on 3D images which provide tactile feedback. Until we get to that point on a commercial scale, I don't think what you are talking about will be very popular.

Even then, there are some hurdles to overcome. One that sticks out in my mind is the movement problem. To my knowledge, it is never really explained how the people in the Holodeck move around those virtual environments. Does the whole floor move like a giant treadmill to keep them in the center of the room? What about when there is more than one person in the Holodeck and they move in opposite directions?

Until that stuff is sorted out, it is likely going to be non-traditional games which fair best with motion control devices. Those games can be tailored to the device, instead of shoehorning a traditional game into a new control method.